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GaW Hardware
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Galaxy at War Weapons and hardware make the soldier. For thousands of years, blasters are the dominant weapon technology used by soldiers, mercenaries, and warriors alike. However, a bewildering array of weapons and armor are used throughout the galaxy, from cutting edge to primitive. A soldier might face sophisticated fighters with Missile Launchers, Battle Armor, and the latest in blaster and ion technology, or primitive savages wearing little more than bone armor and wielding Bows and Spears. Spoils of War One effect of war is the massive amount of weapons, armor, ships, and other valuable (And powerful) equipment left behind on the battlefield or captured in conquered cities and settlements. For the players, this becomes a windfall, offering a multitude of choices to upgrade their heroes' gear. When such spoils become available, the GM must decide what items, if any, the heroes can take for their own. If the heroes serve in a regular military unit, such as those of The Galactic Empire, The Galactic Republic, or The Rebel Alliance, the choice is essentially already made for them. Armies rarely allow soldiers to keep weapons or equipment captured in battle, much less to use such loot in their daily duties. Trophy items might be permitted, depending on the rules set down by commanding officers, but these are kept at the barracks to show off to comrades. Particularly powerful, rare, experimental, or dangerous items are never left in the hands of ordinary soldiers and are confiscated for study, archiving, or use in infiltration, diversion, or other such missions. If the heroes belong to a mercenary or paramilitary force, they might be allowed to keep some weapons and gear they obtain on their missions, but most of it must be turned over to be used by the organization or to be sold for additional profit. Of course, one aspect of belonging to a mercenary group is earning a percentage of the spoils of war, so capturing intact gear and Vehicles is a high priority for any mercenary. As the Gamemaster, you must decide whether to allow the heroes to keep Equipment obtained during adventures. Capturing valuable Equipment should be considered beneficial to the players. Grant them either 25%-50% of the total value of the captured Equipment or an appropriate XP reward. Heroes who consistently recover captured loot can also gain notoriety within their organization (See Rank and Privilege). Also, the Gear Requisition system allows military character to gain access to bigger and better weapons and gear, making looting essentially irrelevant. Melee Weapons War is ugly, requiring a soldier to get up close and personal with the enemy. Most soldiers rely on blasters, but nevertheless, few venture into battle without a weapon suitable for hand-to-hand combat. 1: Can be Thrown 2: Is a Reach Weapon Ranged Weapons Soldiers prefer ranged weapons. The venerable and ubiquitous blaster dominates the field as soldiers' personal weapons, but environment, mission requirements, and personal choice also influence the type of firepower that soldiers wield. Many soldiers carry several weapons: a Rifle or Carbine for most situations, a Pistol for up-close work, and Grenades or even a Missile Launcher to deal serious damage. 1: Is an Inaccurate Weapon 2: Is an Area Attack Weapon 3: Is an Arc Weapon 4: Can be Braced to reduce Weapon size to Large Explosives In addition to Grenades and missiles, soldiers make extensive use of Mines and other Explosives. The following Explosives are a mix of those used to destroy structures and objects and those primarily used against enemy troops and Vehicles. Mines are designed for placement in the ground or to be otherwise hidden from sight. Any character attempting to Notice a Mine takes a -5 penalty to his or her Perception check. Setting a Mine is a Full-Round Action and does not require a Mechanics check. However, attaching a detonator (Either Timed or Manual) requires a Mechanics check and overrides the Mine's built-in triggering system. *The explosion damages everything in a 1-square Burst radius Armor Most soldiers wear Armor on the battlefield. The Armor described below is worn by soldiers, mercenaries, and bounty hunters alike. Equipment The following Equipment is suitable for use by heroes in any Galaxy at War campaign. Advanced Cybernetics Main Article: Advanced Cybernetics Basic rules for cybernetic replacement parts and their implantation can be found in Cybernetic Devices. The following section details several new cybernetics options that can be included in any campaign. A creature with a cybernetic part is susceptible to Ion damage as though it was a Droid. Additionally, the creature takes a cumulative -1 penalty to Use the Force checks for each Cybernetic Device or Advanced Cybernetic part. Droids Although soldiers are loath to admit it, Droids can be invaluable assets in battle, whether as support or as front-line combatants. Even in eras when Droids are less common or distrusted- such as The Dark Times- they are still utilized in some fashion. 1st-Degree Droids 1st-Degree Droids are medical, analytical, or scientific Droids. 2nd-Degree Droids 2nd-Degree Droids are typically Astromech Droids and technical Droids. 3rd-Degree Droids 3rd-Degree Droids are typically Protocol Droids and Replica Droids. 4th-Degree Droids 4th-Degree Droids are the most common type of Droid encountered during a Galaxy at War campaign. 4th-Degree Droids are Combat Droids such as Guard Droids, Battle Droids, Assassin Droids, and Probe Droids. 5th-Degree Droids 5th-Degree Droids are typically Utility Droids with low-level functions. Beasts of War See also: Beasts Many armies use living creatures as Mounts, beasts of burden, or even as living weapons. In the right circumstances, creatures can be superior to conventional Vehicles. Mounts are typically quieter than Vehicles and do not show up on sensors that are set to scan for Vehicles. Mounts must be fed and watered, but they obviously do not require power cells, so mounted scouts and troopers can range far and remain in the field for weeks without supply. Of course, most creatures are considerably slower than Vehicles and far more vulnerable to attack. Nevertheless, some beings raise and train creatures to serve on the battlefield, wither as aggressive predators or as guard beasts. Communication Given the prevalence of advanced communication technology, using Beasts as a means of communication might seem inefficient. However, during war, military forces use creative means of communicating in order to foil enemy intelligence. In some cases, opposing forces are so focused on the latest, most high-tech methods of disputing and intercepting communications that they overlook mundane or primitive methods. The Carrier Butterfly is an example of a creature being used for communications during warfare. Mounts Main Article: Mounts Many military units use creatures as Mounts. Although Speeders and Speeder Bikes are faster, such Vehicles are prone to mechanical problems in extreme environments. Creatures native to those environments are more reliable. Although urban forces almost never use creatures as Mounts, military patrols and scouts in dangerous or hostile environments frequently use Mounts, increasing the chances of survival. Weapons One of the most common uses of Beasts in warfare is as weapons. Ever since primitive tribes started warring with one another, Beasts have been used as living weapons to be unleashed on the enemy. Beasts are used as hunter and trackers or as engines of destruction. Vehicles and Starships The following Vehicles and Starships represent a variety of those used by military and paramilitary units throughout the galaxy. They are typical of the Vehicles heroes in a military campaign might encounter, both as allies and as enemies. Planetary Vehicles Although a planet can be pounded into submission by orbital bombardment, infantry and armored ground units must actually take and hold locations. Military Vehicles can use tracks, wheels, repulsors, or walker-based locomotion, depending on the mission at hand. Space Transports Soldiers and mercenaries spend much of their time inside Space Transports traveling from battlefield to battlefield. For a small strike team of adventuring heroes, a Space Transport can be an ideal headquarters during missions, enabling the heroes to carry any Equipment and Vehicles they might need. Capital Ships The following Capital Ship is suitable for campaigns taking place during the Clone Wars or later. Vehicle and Starship Weapons The following new Weapon Systems can be used to create different Vehicle Combat dynamics. *Droids and creatures in Environmental Suits or Vehicles are immune to this damage. Battlefield Effects Main Article: Battlefield Effects Vehicles can be difficult challenges for heroes. Unless the characters pack serious firepower, most Vehicles can easily shrug off the damage caused by hand-held blasters. In addition, Weapon Systems are usually able to mow down an entire adventuring group in short order. The rules provided here transform Vehicles from killing machines into more manageable terrain objects that can augment an encounter rather than derail it. These effects can be offensive or defensive and can be used by the Gamemaster either to help or to hinder the heroes. Battlefield Effects are special auras that can be applied to any nonstarship Vehicle that meets the prerequisites. A Battlefield Effect lasts until the end of the Vehicle's next turn. A Vehicle can only have one Battlefield Effect at a time, and the effect is determined prior to an encounter. Giving a Battlefield Effect to a Vehicle requires no modifications to its weapons, armor, or other systems. To use a Battlefield Effect, the Commander of the Vehicle takes a Standard Action and the Vehicle can make no attacks until the start of the Commander's next turn. This produces an area of effect as described in each Battlefield Effect's description. Characters or Vehicles must be completely within the area of effect to be affected by the Battlefield Effect. Gear Requisition Main Article: Gear Requisition Training, equipping, and arming a soldier in a professional army costs tens of thousands of credits. Soldiers rarely carry their personal gear and weapons into battle and instead rely on their military units to outfit them with the gear necessary for battle. In addition to three square meals a day and a cot, one advantage to serving in a regular army or mercenary unit is access to Weapons, Equipment, and Vehicles that are beyond the reaches of civilians. A well-equipped and well-funded army or mercenary outfit is assumed to have gear, Vehicles, and Droids appropriate to their faction and era. In most cases, the average soldier has access to gear and equipment far beyond what would normally be available to a character by using the Money system. Gear Requisition is a set of optional rules that replaces that standard system of Money. The Gear Requisition system gives players in a Galaxy at War campaign access to bigger and better weapons, armor, Vehicles, and even Starships that would exceed the limits of their personal wealth. However, the equipment that the heroes requisition does not belong to them and must be returned to the army or mercenary company's quartermaster at the end of the adventure. When the heroes are off duty or not otherwise working on behalf of their units, they must rely on their own weapons and gear to survive. Requisitioned Gear is distinct from gear assigned for a specific mission. Requisitioned Gear can be used in any way that the hero sees fit, just like personal gear. Heroes who requisition gear for a mission might receive additional unique, mission-specific items or Vehicles that would otherwise exceed their requisition budget. However, gear assigned for a mission must be used in accordance with the mission's parameters. A soldier is both responsible and accountable for gear assigned as part of a mission, and reckless endangerment or destruction of this equipment could result in harsh discipline. For example, the heroes might be ordered to transport an experimental weapon to the battlefield, but the weapon is not theirs to deploy unless given direct permission. Also, Starships and Vehicles that ferry the heroes to and from locations and do not otherwise accompany the heroes after drop off are not considered part of a requisition budget. If you utilize this system in your campaign, then the heroes should receive only one-half the usual rewards in credits that they would otherwise gain (See Gamemastering). Heroes in a military-themed campaign are fighting for the prestige and glory, not the credits, and if they choose to leave their military organization, they discover that life as a civilian comes without access to the best gear, weapons, and gadgets that soldiers enjoy. Rank and Privilege Main Article: Rank and Privilege A hero who serves in an army, a planetary defense organization, or a mercenary group is given a rank here called a title. With a title comes authority to give orders, access to equipment and personnel, and increased pay. However, the greater a hero's title is, the greater are the accountability, responsibilities, and demands placed on him or her. The Star Wars Roleplaying Game is about action, however, not administrative paperwork or Boards of Inquiry, so heroes in the game are allowed more leeway than actual members of the military would ever hope for. A title is usually indicative of character level and experience, but a title can be based on social status and other noncombat-oriented factors. Heroes often receive orders from officers who are superior in rank but considerably lower in level-sometimes having only Nonheroic levels. The Rank and Privilege system is based on and is compatible with the Organization system described in the Force Unleashed Campaign Guide, and it also stands on its own as an independent optional system. Gamemasters using both these systems should determine the scale, organization type, and positive and negative criteria for specific military organizations in their campaigns. The Rank and Privilege system provided here gives a character's title and the corresponding additional in-game abilities and bonus for requisitioning equipment (See Gear Requisition). As a player advances in title, he or she also gains access to additional benefits. With title also comes authority, and as such, heroes add the appropriate Command Bonus score to any Persuasion checks when dealing with members of their military organization (See below). Military organizations follow a strict chain of command, with clear regulations on rank, responsibility, and authority of each soldier in its command. Soldiers are expected to follow the orders without question, and officers expect that their orders are carried out quickly and efficiently by those under their command. Depending on the military organization, era, and even duty post, soldiers can advance rapidly through the ranks or can make themselves career foot soldiers or noncommissioned officers. The table below includes the most common ranks found in military groups throughout the galaxy. Depending on the branch, some of the titles might be different or might not exist at all. For simplicity's sake, the titles given apply to both ground and naval forces. Gamemasters are free to alter the titles as needed.